Page 8 of Because You Loved Me

“Are you sure you need to go so soon?”

Noa wasn’t sure of anything. She blew out a breath. “I really should be getting back to?—”

“Not without trying this.”

The icing bag appeared between them, forcing her to take a step back. After the delicious cake, Noa had no doubt the icing would be equally amazing. She held out her hand.

“Oh no.” Asher shook his head and gestured to her mouth.

“What?”

He shrugged, as if he had no control over the situation.

He really was charming. And cute. She couldn’t help but smile before she shook her head and stuck out her tongue.

The burst of sugary sweetness hit her tastebuds a second later. She pulled her tongue back into her mouth, but she moved too quickly at the exact moment Asher pulled back, and the icing bag smeared across her cheek.

“Oops.” He released her hand and used his finger to wipe her cheek. “Got it.” His voice was low, his gaze not leaving hers. “Is it amazing?”

She looked at his icing-covered finger and nodded slowly.

Maybe it was the sugar that rushed to her brain, or their proximity, or his friendly smile that had caught her off guard, but for a moment, Noa forgot herself. She reached for his hand and pulled it gently toward her mouth. Her lips wrapped around his finger and she sucked the icing from the tip.

A low groan reached her ears, but she didn’t have a chance to determine its source because a moment later, the door they stood in front of burst open.

Two hotel employees muttered their apologies, as they moved into the kitchen. Asher reached to hold the door open for them, and in doing so, gave Noa a clear view of the hallway outside.

As well as her cousin and Grandma Rose, who were both staring directly at her.

ChapterThree

Fortunately,Sarah believed Noa’s lame excuse that she’d taken the wrong turn and had gotten lost on her way to the bathroom. She didn’t get a chance to say thank you or goodbye to her rescuer, nor did she dare. But she didn’t miss the air kiss that Grandma Rose sent in his direction, as Sarah dragged her out of the kitchen and back toward the party.

Somehow she managed to make it through the rest of the festivities, where of course she was awarded the best-dressed bride. The beaming look of pride on her cousin’s face was worth it, and because Noa felt guilty about ditching her earlier, she didn’t immediately rip the tissue from her body the moment the prize was awarded.

It wasn’t until she made it back to the safety of her suite that she began to tear at the toilet paper gown in earnest.

“Whoa. It looks like you let a bunch of kittens loose in a toilet paper factory.”

She yanked a piece of herveilfrom the back of her head and looked up to see Ryan Little, her longtime best friend, and for a significantly shorter period of time, fiancé, leaning against the wall, watching her as if he wasn’t about to experience the worst day ofhislife.

“Let me guess.” He walked toward her and helped shed her of thegown.“Sarah? Or your mother?”

“Or yours,” she snapped and immediately felt bad. “You were right the first time. These games are ridiculous. I don’t know why I couldn’t go skiing with you guys instead.”

“Because, my dear.” He kissed her on the cheek. “Youare the bride.”

“Don’t remind me.”

She walked into the massive suite and straight to the picture window that looked over the ski hill. The sun had started to dip behind the mountain and the chair lifts were closed for the day, but dozens of people still milled around the base and a few stragglers made their way down the hill.

“We can ski after the wedding.” Ryan came to stand beside her and handed her a glass of wine. “We’re here until after New Year’s, remember? We need to make new memories. Happy ones. There’ll be lots of time for skiing.”

New memories. Happy ones.

Right. After all, that was the entire reason they were here.

She lifted the wine to her mouth and drank deeply, but almost spilled it down her front when Ryan grabbed her other hand. “Where’s your ring?”

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